Check it now
The foreign office has done the right thing by bringing the Dai’sh threat out in the open. This means that there will be no more false denials, at least. In fact the threat is now staring the entire region in the face, particularly Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Russia. Tehran and Kabul, in fact, just recently reached an understanding regarding IS. That it has been inviting recruits for its caliphate’s expansion is no secret. But concerns have been growing regarding the caliphate setting up franchises in other jihad-friendly areas. And our Asian region, of course, is more of a home to the phenomenon than the Levant or Iraq, where al Baghdadi’s caliphate is expanding.
It would not be wise, to say the least, to take the Islamic State lightly. It not only routed the American trained Iraqi forces to set up the caliphate across large areas in Iraq’s north, it also countered to a large extent the Syrian army’s success on the other side of the border. Throughout the last year, it has exhibited not only fine fighting techniques, but also incredible military know how. That, among other things, is leading observers to question the training and funding behind the organisation.
That such a wrecking machine is active in setting up branches in Pakistan and neighbouring countries is, of course, cause for immense concern. Initially the government did the wrong thing by denying such a phenomenon altogether. But since then saner counsel seems to have prevailed, not the least because others in the area have started becoming more prudent. If anything, containing Da’ish must be part and parcel of the military operation as it expands to main cities. The recent attack in Jalalabad, though still under investigation, has been attributed to IS. There is, therefore, the need to be vigilant at all times. We have already paid a very heavy price for not moving against militants at the right time. We must not repeat such mistakes.